


Give Me Time

by Emeli_Thorne



Series: Kastle Christmas 2K17 AU - Kastle as neighbours [2]
Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Kastle-first date, Kissing, Missing Scene, Skating, hand holding, oneshot sequel to my Kastle Christmas fic, playful Kastle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-06
Updated: 2018-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-01 06:53:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13289424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emeli_Thorne/pseuds/Emeli_Thorne
Summary: Their first official date happened two days after their first kiss, when Frank sent her a message while she was at work, sitting on the floor and going through some archived issues of the Bulletin.Wanna go out with me tonight?





	Give Me Time

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! I decided to write a few fics that would cover things I didn't mention or skipped in the original fic due to time constraint during Kastle Christmas 2k17 event.  
> I just love Kastle in this universe and I want to give them more happiness.
> 
> For the life of me, I can't figure out how to insert cover art on ao3, so if you'd like to see it, you can check out my tumblr the-mimi-hiddleston

**Day 15: First Date + First Time Holding Hands**

 

Their first official date happened two days after their first kiss, when Frank sent her a message while she was at work, sitting on the floor and going through some archived issues of _The Bulletin_.

_Wanna go out with me tonight?_

Simple and to the point, just like Frank. Karen grinned and quickly texted him her reply, _Yeah. Where are you taking me?_

S _urprise. I’ll come by your place at seven_.

She spent the entire day in anticipation, smiling so widely that Ellison came by her office just to ask her if she was okay or if she was having a stroke.

Since that night, when they first kissed and had a rather heavy make-out session, Frank and she hadn’t managed to see each other. Frank was busy fixing something on his friend David’s car and their garage door that was acting up. Karen wanted to be with Addie so the girls took a day off and spend it pampering themselves, painting each other’s nails and watching their favourite Christmas movies.

Although, they did exchange quite a few messages, mostly teasing each other and Frank complaining of David annoying him with incessant questions _how did you do that, Frank? oh, what’s that for, Frank? will you be able to fix it, Frank?_ because he was bored and had nothing else to do, then picking up random tools and leaving them all over the garage, whereas Leo, David’s daughter, was actually helpful and was genuinely interested in Frank explaining her what he was doing.

 _Why are you so angry? What else did David do?_ she texted him back because she sensed he was mad about more than just David messing with his work process.

His reply came a few minutes later,

 _He saw your name flash on my phone this morning when I got here. He won’t stop interrogating me. I don’t know what to tell him_.

 _You don’t want to talk about me_ , Karen wrote simply, not because she was offended but because she understood Frank needed time to process whatever was happening between them.

Ten minutes later, he texted back,

_I do, just... I want us to figure things out first. I’m... After Maria..._

Karen could practically imagine him struggling to come up with a coherent answer, to explain to her how he felt without her thinking he was diminishing what they had or could have. The last thing she wanted was to make him feel like they had to define this thing between them as soon as possible. He needed time and space and Karen was actually glad they weren’t rushing into this head first.

_Frank, I get it. Don’t worry about this, please. Have fun with Leo. Call me when you have time xoxo_

_Thank you_

By the time she came home, it was already six o’clock. Karen took a quick shower, then hurried to dress, only to freeze in front of her closet, unsure what she should wear. When she cast a glance towards the window, she noticed it had started to snow. Returning her attention to her current dilemma, she opted for simple black skinny jeans and white shirt with bright blue cardigan.

Luckily, Addie was spending the night at her friend’s house so Karen just called the child’s mother to make sure everything was all right and had a quick chat with her daughter, before she went to put on some make-up.

At seven o’clock sharp, there came a knock. Grabbing her purse of the rack along with her coat and scarf, she opened the door to a smiling Frank holding a bundle of white roses that hid half of his face.

“Whoa.”

“I, ah- I hope you like it. Wasn’t sure what kinda flowers you like.”

Glancing from the bouquet in his hand to him and back to the bouquet, Karen fought hard not to cry. It was such a simple thing, but it had been a long while since anyone had been so attentive and loving towards her, that Frank’s gesture caught her totally unprepared.

“It’s-It’s lovely. Thank you, Frank,” she croaked, reaching out to take the flowers when Frank wrapped his fingers around her wrist gently, willing him to look at him.

“Karen? Did I do something wrong?” He sounded concerned and she could hear an apology forming on his lips.

“Oh, no, no. Not at all. I’m just... You’re so wonderful,” she told him, finally looking up at him, eyes filled with tears.

He brushed a stray tear from her cheek, his thumb caressing her cheekbone, eyes searching hers.

“I’m not used to this, you know?”

“What? A guy bringing you flowers? Well, good to know I’m higher on the list now,” he joked and Karen had to chuckle.

Letting out a loud breath, she responded truthfully, “No, everything. The guy and the flowers. And a date. By the way, you’re first on my list, just so you know.”

He leaned forward, his lips barely touching her cheek, “No crying, please. I want to see you happy and smiling.”

She kissed him back, “Okay. I’m excited to see what you have planned.”

Karen returned to the apartment to set the flowers in a vase then put on her coat and scarf. When she locked the door, Frank and she started down the stairs, as both put on their knitted hats.

When they were standing outside the apartment building, Frank reach out to adjust Karen’s hat over her forehead then playfully bumped the pompom on the top of it and they both laughed as snowflakes were falling on their faces.

They headed on foot, Frank clasping her gloved hand in his - at first tentatively, like his fingers were searching, testing how it felt before their fingers entwined completely. When Karen turned her gaze to him in wonderment, he offered her a shy smile and squeezed her hand lightly. Without a word, Karen pecked his cheek, feeling the cold on her lips as they walked towards-

“Where are we going?”

“I thought we could go to uh, to this Italian place I found a few weeks ago? Figured you must be hungry.”

She all but jumped in excitement, “You got that right. I’m starving. I can’t remember if I ate anything since this morning.”

“Karen-” he halted abruptly, brows furrowing at her.

Karen looked at him guiltily, biting her lip, “I know, I know. I should take better care of myself.”

“I just don’t want you faintin’ in the middle of the day ‘cause you haven’t eaten,” he told her worriedly.

“I just lose the track of time. But anyway, the Italian place?”

Frank must’ve realised she didn’t want him to continue with chastisement so he just shrugged as they continued walking, Frank leading them towards a crosswalk.

“Yeah. And then maybe, if you’re up for it, skating?”

“Sounds great.”

It took them about twenty minutes to reach the small and unassuming restaurant. When they got there, Frank helped her out of her coat and even pulled her chair for her.

As they waited for their food, they chatted about Karen’s latest investigative piece, _I’m this close to breaking the story, but I feel like there’s a piece missing and I’m too narrow-focused to see it_ and Frank told her about a pitbull that came to the shelter that day. The poor soul was all beaten up and severely malnourished, on top of almost freezing to death. _You should’ve seen ‘im, Karen. He was shivering, could barely even whine. I’d like to get my hands on whoever did that to him._

When the waiter brought them their orders, Karen dove into the spaghetti that Frank had to laugh at the speed with which she was eating.

“Easy. No one’s gonna take the plate from you.”

“I’m sorry but,” she spoke between bites, “I’m so hungry and this sauce is sooo good. How did you find this place?”

“I was coming back from Curt’s and passed by the window. I actually thought it was a dump.”

“Good thing you decided to check it out any way.”

Frank looked at her for a moment, a smile plastered on his face before he said, “Well, seeing you practically devouring those spaghetti, I’m glad.”

They took their time, enjoying the food, Frank telling her more stories about David and Sarah, his best friends.

“I never asked you, how did you guys meet?”

“Sarah hit me with her car.”

Karen gasped, reaching for a glass of water, “What? Were you ok? Was she ok?”

Frank nodded, “Yeah, yeah. It wasn’t anything serious,” he assured her. “I was on my way to a house nearby, one of their neighbours hired me to renovate his kitchen. Anyway, I wasn’t looking, was kinda lost in my thoughts...” Karen assumed, correctly, judging by the way his voice grew quieter, that he must have been thinking about his family then.

He continued, “And Sarah was reaching for her house keys... She invited me in for a coffee, as a way to apologise. David was there, working from home. He kept teasing her about being a bad driver,” there was a distant look in his eyes, his mind probably wandering to a time when Maria and he teased each other in much the same way.

“And this was?” Karen prompted, wanting to contextualise this event.

He took awhile before answering, “About a year after Maria and the kids.” A long pause ensued before he said, “I was in a really bad place then. They were real nice to me, y’know? And the kids... Leo especially. We immediately bonded.”

Karen remembered him mentioning once how Leo reminded him of Lisa, how they had similar character traits and how difficult it was for him in the beginning to draw a line between the memory of his daughter and this unexpected gift in his life that was Leo Lieberman.

“Anyway, fast forward two years later, somehow I became Uncle Frank. Never thought something like that could happen,” they both chuckled, and Karen thought how she could actually imagine exactly something like that happening.

He was great with Addie, always paying attention to what she was telling him, always wanting to converse with her about her day, what she did at school, asking her if she needed help with anything. Frank was kind and selfless, and Karen could already tell her daughter took a great liking to him.

“But you love it, right? Being Uncle Frank?”

Deliberating for a bit, he eventually said, “I do. I... When I lost my family, I thought I was left alone in this world.” He shook his head as if warding off bad thoughts, “I was angry, confused, I wanted to lash out and destroy whatever and whoever crossed my path. But they... There was something there immediately. I-I don’t know how to explain it. It was like... A sense of belonging to something again. I wasn’t a dad anymore. But I become an honorary uncle.”

“I’m really glad you have them in your life,” Karen added, squeezing his hand.

* * *

After dinner, they took a short walk to an ice rink set up not far from the restaurant. They rented two pairs of skates and headed to the ice, some upbeat music playing in the background.

Frank was holding her hand when she pulled on it lightly, making him halt and turn towards her. “Just a warning: I am a great skater.”

“Oh, yeah? Prove it.”

Karen laughed at his teasing then dashed forward, leaving Frank to catch up with her.

It was only later when she told him that she used to skate up until her junior year of high school.

They skated for an hour, Frank chasing after Karen while she successfully eluded him (at times; sometimes she let herself be caught). When a much slower song started playing, Karen slowed down, waiting for Frank to approach her.

“You weren’t kidding. You’re a pro.”

“Told ya.”

Karen put her hands on his shoulders as Frank wrapped his arms around her waist. “Are you cold?”

“Nope,” she popped the p, her cheeks crimson from the cold and wind.

Frank brushed a strand of her hair off her face, leaning forward to press a kiss on her nose then her forehead. Karen closed her eyes, relishing in the softness of his lips against her skin and the tenderness of his kisses.

“This is really nice, Frank,” Karen murmured as she pressed herself against him, arms wrapping around his shoulder. Her nose was leant against his and they were both smiling, eyes still closed. Karen was humming the song as Frank stroked her cheek.

“I like that you trimmed your beard.” It was the first time she mentioned it, though when she saw him a few hours ago outside her door, she was awestruck how cute he looked. He didn’t shave off the beard completely, just gave it a better shape that suited his jawline. Karen appreciated the effort.

“Well, I want to keep kissing you so... Can’t let my beard cockblock me.”

Karen leaned back as she laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. “I cannot believe you just said that.”

Frank smirked, lowering his head in embarrassment, “Neither can I.”

He pulled her back to him, cupping her face and resting his lips against hers for a second, until Karen pulled his head to her and kissed him, grazing his lower lip with her teeth.

“I really like kissing you,” he admitted when they finally broke the kiss and skated towards the gate holding hands.

“I like kissing you too. You’re not bad at this,” Karen teased him, nudging his shoulder.

“Not bad? I guess I need to practice more” Frank kissed her again as she smiled against his lips.

* * *

It was past ten when they finally got back home, Frank’s hands on her hips as Karen unlocked her door. She turned back to face him, eyes lingering on his.

Biting her lip, she asked him “Wanna come inside?”

She saw him debate with himself, hands gripping her hips.

“Maybe some other time?” he answered, his finger twitching against her hipbone.

“Okay,” she tried to keep disappointment at bay as Frank kissed her lips, then kissing twice the birthmark above her lip.

“See you tomorrow?” he asked hopefully.

Karen nodded and kissed him once more before retreating into her apartment. She shrugged off her coat and took off her boots, then washed her face and change into her comfy pyjamas.

Lying in her bed, Karen tossed and turned, thinking about the date and how perfect everything was, what an absolute incredible man Frank Castle was.

In spite of her disappointment Frank didn’t take her offer, Karen liked to think she knew him well enough to know Frank would never do anything to hurt her and that his rejection had more to do with him than her and what was growing between them.

It was half an hour later when she was finally drifting to dreamland. She was almost asleep when her phone vibrated on the nightstand.

It was a message from Frank.

_I’m sorry. I’m just... I’m not ready just yet_

_I understand Frank. There’s no need to rush anything._

 

Then she sent him another message.

 

_Tonight was perfect. I had so much fun. Thank you._

_I’m glad. I had fun too. Go to sleep. You have work tomorrow._

_Aye, aye, captain. Good night, Frank xoxo_

_Night, Karen xxx_


End file.
